Cover songs - original vs band version

[tothemax]

1. Most patrons want to hear what they know.
2. Depending on the song, an original cover can work if done well.
3. Too many bands use this as an excuse to half-@$$ it.

This is a bit of my mantra, and as a former BL it's hard to lose that mindset. I'm self taught and don't read music (at a functional level anyway). While I can use tabs, as a former guitar player I prefer a chord and lyric sheet and add my bass cliff notes. In the band I'm in now a few of the long time members use sheet music and tend to be a little sticky about keeping to the original structures, for example we play the Santana version of Black magic woman, and while the bass line is pretty iconic in my past band live's a simple head nod on when to transition from the intro or into the outro (not in this band)... it's similar with the ABB version of Whipping post, the intro in 11/4, I have to use a pick to keep that in time... (I'm no Berry Oakley). I guess I'm just venting a bit, I've always used my song sheets as cliff notes rather than actually having to use them. And at the end of the day, after a year with this band my playing has improved quite a bit, and haven't been asked to leave .

"2. Depending on the song, an original cover can work if done well."

I had short stint as roadie for the Knack (many moons ago) and they used to do a version of "Hard days night" and it was as good if not a little more rocked out than the Beatles version, mostly because of the improvement in instruments and sound tech (plus Bruce Gary was an amazing drummer). I kind of use that as my litmus test on covers, Tom Petty and the HB's were another great cover band... if you can't nail it to that level, take the other route and do your own version. It's worked for the Grateful Dead and Jimmy Buffett... I see the majority of comments tend to be along the make it your own version track (without abusing the original).

Appreciate the feedback...

 

[Ostie]

I have a friend who plays in a Tom Petty tribute band. I went to their show a few weeks ago. The singer doesn’t sound exactly like TP, and I wouldn’t expect him to. He sings in the style of TP. But in the parts without vocals, they sounded exactly like TP and the HB if I closed my eyes. In a tribute band, you can get the exact same guitars, keys, amps, drums, clothes, mix, etc and you better play the original chops. In a cover band, you likely will use your own choice of guitars, amps, etc and impart your own take on the song.

The opening act at the same show was a woman who sang covers of songs in her own style with a piano accompaniment. I got tired of the pianist banging away like Elton John real quickly.

 

[tothemax]

we do a harder version of Steppin Stone by the Monkees ....exact same song/key etc. just louder and a tad faster ....just with more rock n' roll ooomph I'd say...crowds love it

Great songs are great songs... what can you say. The Raider's version was good, and so was the Monkee's and probably more popular, according to Wikipedia it was first recorded by the Liverpool five (can't say I've heard that one). We are getting ready to work on "Green Eyed Lady", should be interesting and cool if it works out.

 

[Parzival]

I am in agreement with making cover songs your own. But, when I think of making it our own, I may be a little different. I don't want to change the arrangement or key parts or anything like that. Want the song to be like the original in that way. My version of making it our own, is sonically. Putting heavier guitar sounds or bass sounds, replacing a keyboard part with guitar. Just things like that. One of my favorite examples of something like that would be Foo Fighters doing Baker Street. Song is structurally the same, but you replace sax with guitar and make it sonically heavier sounding.

 

[murphy]

we do a harder version of Steppin Stone by the Monkees ....exact same song/key etc. just louder and a tad faster ....just with more rock n' roll ooomph I'd say...crowds love it

That's because the Sex Pistols did exactly that

 

[OneNut]

I've always been a fan of "original" style covers, where you pay respect to the original but make it you're own version. I'm sure part of this is due to my inability to play as well as the original musicians, but that said also believe it's tough to do a better version of the original song (music and vocals). I like to make sure that we learn the song and then play to our strengths, music, vocals, and arrangement. We have a couple of originals, but for most part play classic rock standards - some Steely Dan, Santana, Allman Bros, etc...
I realize it's a personal thing, but just wanted to see how others feel about it.

If the band has the right idea, it can be awesome when they take a song and make it their own and it can outshine the original (depending on your point of view). I will admit though that history is littered with horrible attempts as well.

For example, some may really like this:


But I much prefer this:



Or some might like this:


While I prefer this:

 

[DrCannabass]

Many of the songs I wish to cover have vocals that are out of my range, so I'm often changing the key. Once you do that, sometimes the riff doesn't lay right or whatever and you need to re-imagine the song to make it work (different rhythmic approach, style, maybe even new melody, etc.). That's when it gets fun for me, and what I'd rather see if I'm at a club watching a cover band.

 

[mambo4]

I've learned that most of the bands that folks cover don't even play it like the record in their own gigs..

 

[NickyBass]

When I played in a cover band, I had 2 weeks to learn 3 sets of music. The entire first set was one medley, so I was also learning a lot of arrangements too.
I just learned them as fast as I could so I could do my own thing. But, I did learn a lot by working on songs note for note as well. Especially bands/artists who used studio guys.
Whether or not they are performed that way is an artistic decision, but who better to cop licks from than Chuck Rainey or Jamerson or Anthony Jackson, Pino, Paul Jackson, etc.

 

[edencab]

That's because the Sex Pistols did exactly that

Very cool ... I did not know this...thanx!

 

[Bighands Bill]

Depending on the venue, we will bring a song ( like “You can’t always get what you want”) way down and bring it back up with a harder drive to it. I was impressed with a classic rock band that played country and pop songs with strong drums and bass to keep people on the dance floor. Remember who is paying you and why you are there.

 

[ravlin]

We play a pretty diverse set as a 3 piece, we make all of our covers our own or we'd never be able to play 80% of recorded music. We're 60/40 covers vs original... Maybe 70 30 depending on the day. The crowd likes it.

 

[StyleOverShow]

I joined a local bar band recently, mostly out of boredom. Yup, hasn’t changed much. The band’s members are old guys like me who are playing the tunes as true to the records as possible. I had to learn 40 songs, well not all of them, I recalled some, in 6 weeks. Didn’t worry about the deets too much, like copying bass lines, EXCEPT WHERE THEY ARE ICONIC OR A MILESTONE. After we started gigging I went back over the tunes adding in original bass lines to everyone’s delight. Alright, that’s my story, another anecdotal telling

 

[JRA]

@andruca, man, you're jammin' in those videos --- those are fun...and bada$$!

 

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

My original band would always play 1 cover at our shows. This one we liked so much, we released it as a single.

 

[TheReceder]

I played in a country band that had nothing but rock musicians. we were asked to play a wedding, after the and the Bride and groom were sufficiantly plowed, the bridal party started chanting "Rock and Roll".
So... after a quick band conference we play Led Zeppelin's Rock and roll....

Started off with the drum intro as normal, and then drums begain to S L O W down...

We did Rock and Roll By Zeppilen as it might have been done on Hee Haw... they loved it... followed up by kicking in the drum intro at the end and did it as it should be done... one of my best memories, and the party loved it.

 

[oldrocker]

I've always been a fan of "original" style covers, where you pay respect to the original but make it you're own version. I'm sure part of this is due to my inability to play as well as the original musicians, but that said also believe it's tough to do a better version of the original song (music and vocals). I like to make sure that we learn the song and then play to our strengths, music, vocals, and arrangement. We have a couple of originals, but for most part play classic rock standards - some Steely Dan, Santana, Allman Bros, etc...
I realize it's a personal thing, but just wanted to see how others feel about it.

In my experience it doesn't really happen that a band learns the song and then plays their own version. Bands that play their own versions or own arrangements typically have not bothered to actually learn the song.

I'm talking weekend warrior type bands and as always, YMMV.

 

[fhm555]

i’m always curious which recording is being referenced when someone asks if I’ve ever played a song note for note. Is it the album cut? A live version maybe, or a cover by another artist. I played with a group who did a lot of songs but rarely tried to copy a recording beyond the basic progression and words.
OTOH, among other things we did a ska version of Sweet Home Alabama, a punked up medley of Johhny cash tunes we called Johnny Cash meets The Clash, and Tom Waits tunes with a latin feel. The object was to entertain but we had fun while doing it.

 

[darwin-bass]

Sometimes, the idea of making it our own is a thin disguise for the fact that we're just hacks and we feel better by if we lower the bar.

The original recording has the benefit of a production "machine". Parts were chosen to fit together, to complement one another. Choices were made to make the song as good as they could to increase audience appeal. A bunch of part-timers just trying to figure this out on their own are unlikely to come up with anything that is better than the original.

You can learn the parts per the recording knowing they all fit together and sound good. Or you can spent a lot more time working with each other to try to make up something else. More time, less quality.

... My opinion. Not fact. I realize I'm probably in the minority.

 

[retslock]

I've always been a fan of "original" style covers, where you pay respect to the original but make it you're own version. I'm sure part of this is due to my inability to play as well as the original musicians, but that said also believe it's tough to do a better version of the original song (music and vocals). I like to make sure that we learn the song and then play to our strengths, music, vocals, and arrangement. We have a couple of originals, but for most part play classic rock standards - some Steely Dan, Santana, Allman Bros, etc...
I realize it's a personal thing, but just wanted to see how others feel about it.

If the original part is a vital part of the song's appeal then I'll stay pretty close to it. Sometimes I'll just use the groove in my own way, or just a part of it for flavour but sooner or later they all end up being my versions.